psalm 96: a dangerous question to ask... 2nd week advent tuesday

Today we reflect again on psalm 96.  Today we are called upon to sing a new song.  If you notice as you grow older you like to sing old songs – the old songs that became a hit when we were in high school or in college.  And we call these songs our songs because we sung it then and we can sing them even now.  Last week when we had our alumni homecoming we hired a band that can sing our songs because we like their style and their choices of songs.

Today however our psalm is asking us to sing a new song, not an old one but  a new song.  This new song can only be understood in the context of the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 42 when the prophet also invited the people to sing a new song.  Why because in the verse before the invitation to sing a new song, the Lord said, “See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare.”  The former things have come to pass, we have become a new people, we have received a new identity, thus the old is gone and the new is here, thus we need to sing a new song.

In the coming days as Christmas approaches we will receive so many new things – new clothes, new toys, new shoes, new things.  But we should not forget the real reason for the coming Christmas season, the real newness which this season should bring. 

First we should be mindful of the invitation for a new relationship with God.  Probably this is the time to deepen our relationship with God – to take seriously our prayer life, nga indi lang ta magsimba ukon magpangadi tungod kay luyag ta, tungod kay feel ta.  Probably we can put more commitment to our prayer life – more commitment, kon sayuron praying will no longer just be determined by our moods but to set a time for it.  So beside clothes this Christmas renew you relationship with God – that should make us respond to the invitation of psalm 92 to sing a new song because of this new relationship with God.

Second, we should also be mindful of the invitation for a new relationship with members of our family.  Is there somebody you need to forgive, somebody you need to approach, someone you need to talk to, to visit, and even to give a more meaningful present which is your presence.

Third, we should also be mindful of the invitation for new attitudes, new values, new priorities, new perspectives, new mindsets.  What old attitudes do you need to let go, what old ways do you need to set aside and abandon?  Perhaps we need to let go our addictions, perhaps we need to abandon attitudes and temperaments that do harm not just to ourselves but also to others.  I remember six years ago I was praying on Christmas eve and I told the Lord, "Lord you did so much for me, what do you want me to do for you this Christmas."  And you know what, somebody answered, inside my head and he said, stop smoking.  That time naghinulsol ako nga namangkot pa ako but it was also that time that I stopped – my last stick on Christmas eve because I dared to ask the Lord the question  - Lord you did so much for me, what do you want me to do for you this Christmas?  If you are not ready for the answer, don't ask that question.  Too dangerous.

But if you want to heed psalm 92, if you want to sing a new song to the Lord, ask him, ask him and he will answer. 

So, sing a new song to the Lord, or will you be content in singing again those same old songs Christmas after Christmas after Christmas – same old song.